Danna Ray - We Are Connected

We Are Connected, by Danna Ray.
15% of the sale of this print goes to Médecins Sans Frontières.

Danna Ray grew up in rural South Carolina, where she spent her days exploring the woods, fields, and creeks around her family’s log cabin. She later went on to attend Virginia Commonwealth University to receive a BFA in Illustration. Today, Danna spends most days working in her studio, though she and her husband often take off to the mountains to go camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Her current work is an exploration of the inherent transience and connectedness of all things. She is interested in small moments that scratch away the myopic fog of everyday routine to reveal glimpses of a bigger picture.



About the print:
This piece is a part of a recurring theme that originated in the two years I spent working as a horticulturist. In one of the outdoor spaces I cared for, there was a group of several different conifer species planted together. As these trees began to reach their full size, they were becoming overcrowded, but their roots were so closely intertwined that it was impossible to remove one of the trees without damaging the others. The compact upright forms of conifers reminded me of the elongated figures of Alberto Giacometti that had profoundly resonated with me in school years ago. As I walked by those trees each day, I began to see them as a microcosm of the world around us. Each tree was working to grow and survive as it inevitably affected and formed the foundation of the others. While looking at the trees up close, it was easy to see the distinct differences that set them apart, but to see them from a distance, it was clear that they were all members of a larger family. Although the roots are not immediately apparent, everything, everyone is connected. Perhaps in the biggest picture, there is no such thing as isolation.

This print was signed and numbered by the artist. It is an archival inkjet print that was created from an original mixed media painting. It was printed on 300 gsm acid free paper that is made from eco-friendly bagasse and recycled cotton fibers.

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Process sketch.

What has inspired you recently?
When I came across Rebecca Solnit's A Field Guide to Getting Lost, there was that perfect feeling of finding something you've been looking for for, at exactly the moment you needed to find it. I'm now reading her books Wanderlust and Storming the Gates of Paradise.



Why did you choose to pair Médecins Sans Frontières with your prints?
It means a great deal to me to have the chance to contribute to MSF's mission of providing medical aid to those in crisis at a time when so many are in urgent need of care.

How have you seen art transform the world around you?
I think the very act of creation may contain some inherent element of optimism...and while optimism is not something quantifiable, it is a truly powerful force to spread around.



If you could pick one artist to mentor you, who would it be?
Though I don't have a specific artist in mind, I've really been itching to learn the art of stop motion animation. I've come to realize that most of my ideas for paintings are actually still frames from scenes and stories that play out in my head.

Who are some artists you think people should know about?
Amy Talluto, Christine Gray, Christopher Russell, Claire Grill, Hernan Paganini, Hollis Brown Thornton, Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch, Rachell Sumpter, Ryan Wallace, and my amazing sister Jen Ray.